Combined arm rest and handle



April 21, 1936- J. B. FLYNN COMBINED ARM REST AND HANDLE Filed June 28,1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. John 5. F/yrm ORNEYS.

- BY F761 6 6M, ATT

April 2 6- J. B. FLYNN 2,038,033

COMBINED ARM REST AND HANDLE Filed June 28, 1934 5 SheetsSheet 2ATTORNEYS."

April 21, 1936. J. B. FLYNN 2,038,033

COMBINED ARM BEST AND HANDLE Filed June 28, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 3INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 21, 1936 UNITED STATE COMBINED ABM BEST ANDHANDLE John B. Flynn, Detroit, .Mich., assignor to TernstedtManufacturing Company, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of MichiganApplication June 28, .1934, Serial No. 732,880

16 Claims. (Cl. 296-44) This invention relates to a combined arm restand handle, and more particularly a combined arm rest and inside remotelatch handle.

As is well-known, the Fisher no draft ventilation system has receivedwide-spread adoption in the automotive industry. In the Fisher no draftventilation system the front door window opening is provided with aswinging panel and a vertically slidable panel both of which areprovided with suitable regulators. These regulators are operated byseparate regulator handles mounted on the inside of the door. In the oldstyle set-up where the window opening is closed by a single verticallyslidable panel only one regulator with a single regulator handle on theinside of the door is required. Thus the Fisher no draft ventilatingsystem has added a handle'on the inside of the door in an area alreadycrowded with the regulator handle for the vertically slidable windowpanel and the inside remote latch handle.

This problem has been further complicated by the trend in the automobileindustry to hinge the front door along its rear vertical edge to thecenter body pillar rather than along its front edge to the windshieldpillar. This condition, along with the other factor of providingsuitable room for operation of all the handles without conflict, hasrequired the location of the remote handle in a position where it mayinterfere with the comfort of the passenger in the front seat, that is,where it may easily be bumped by the knee of the passenger. This problemhas been rendered still more acute by the adoption of arm rests on thefront doors. In locating the handle for the swinging panel ventilator,the handle for the vertically slidable panel regulator, the insideremote latch handle, and the arm rest, two problems arise, first, thatof finding suflicient room on the inside of the door for each of thehandles so that each may operate without conflicting with any otherhandle, and secondly, that of locating the handles so that they will notbe in a position to be struck by the passenger or otherwise interferewith his bodily comfort.

It is an object of this invention to solve these problems and also tosimplify the number of handles required on the inside of the door.

This invention contemplates the elimination of one of these handles bycombining one of these handles and the arm rest into a single memberwhich performs the functions of both arm rest and handle.

More particularly, the invention contemplates combining the arm rest andthe inside remote latch handle in a single member which performs thefunctions of both arm rest and inside remote latch handle.

It is also an object-of this invention to simplify the interior hardwarearrangement of a vehicle body by combining the arm rest and pull-tohandle into a single member.

Sometimes the driver catches his sleeve on the remote door handle whichinterferes with his driving. This invention contemplates the eliminationof this interference with the driver's steering of the car.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an inside view of the front door and seat of an automotivevehicle which also shows the combined arm rest and remote handle mountedon the door.

Fig. 1a is a sectional view of a vehicle body showing the armrestmounted on the front door and showing in the dotted lines the positionof the arm rest when the latch bolt is retracted.

Fig. 2 is a section along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 2a. is a sectional view illustrating the use of the arm rest as apull-to in the closing of the door.

Fig. 3 is a section along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig, 4 is a view along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a section along the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a detail view showing a modified mounting of the combined armrest and remote handle.

Fig. 7 is a detail showing the stop and locating dowel.

Referring more particularly to the drawings there is shown an insideview of a door, generally designated I, having a window opening 2 whichis provided with a Fisher no draft window assembly comprising a swingingpanel 3 and a vertically slidable panel 4. The panel 3, which swingsabout an up and down axis, is controlled by a regulator (not shown)which is operated by the handle 40 5. The vertically. slidable panel 4may be raised and lowered by any well-known window regulator operated bythe window regulator handle 8.

The door I, in conformance to the present trend brought about by theacute inclination of the windshield, may be hinged along its rearvertical edge thus requiring the door latch, generally designated 1, tobe mounted on the lock board adjacent the front edge of the door. Thelatch is provided with the usual reciprocating latch bolt 8 which has alost motion connection with the front end of a retracting link 9 in theform of a slot l0 and pin ll.

Inasmuch as this invention contemplates the combining into a singlemember 42 of one of the inside handles, for example, the remote handle,and the arm rest, it is proposed to retract the latch bolt throughoperation of the arm rest. This retraction of the latch bolt bymanipulation of the arm rest may be done in numerous ways. Preferablythe control of the latch bolt is effected by pivotal movement of the armrest.

To this end a spindle l3 may be rotatably mounted upon the door in anysuitable manner. Preferably this mounting takes the form of a platemember l8 which'is arranged to be secured to the lock board by screws.The plate I6 is provided with a round flanged opening H which providesone bearing for the spindle IS. The second bearing for the spindle I3 isprovided by the cup shaped member l8 having the round flanged opening.l9 and the lugs 20 which are passed through the openings 2| in the platel6 and bent over to fix the cup bearing member to the plate.

A lever I2 is mounted on the spindle ii. The lever I2 is provided with asquare opening H which receives the square end is of the spindle l3.Thus the lever I2 is fixed to the spindle l3 and rotates with it. Therear end of the link 9 is pivotally connected to the lever l2.

The spindle I 3 has a square portion 1,2 which projects inwardly of thebody through a suitable opening in the door trimming and serves as asupport for the arm rest.

The arm rest 42 is provided adjacent its front end with a socket forreception of the square end of the spindle. This socket takes the formof a pair of stamped members 24 riveted together forming a squareopening 25 and secured by screws to the frame 21 of the arm rest. Thesocket member is provided with a tapped opening 28 for a set screw llfor holding the arm rest on the spindle.

As shown, the arm rest comprises a stamped frame member 21 which may bemolded in, or has otherwise suitably secured thereto, a soft rubbercushion covering 28. Since the member 42 is intended to serve both as anarm rest and a pull-to handle, therefore the inner face of arm rest 42,which is positioned adjacent the inside face of the door, is providedwith a hand grip recess 30. This inner face of the arm rest, includingthe recessed portion, has secured thereto the plated wear plate 8|.

As shown in the full lines of Fig. 1, the arm rest 42 is in thenormalposition in which it functions as an arm rest and at this time thelatch bolt is projected into engagement with the striker plate.Preferably the arm rest is held in this position against furtherrotation in a clockwise or a downward. direction by a stop secured byscrews to the lock board. The stop bracket 80 has riveted thereto theupstanding dowel 8| which engages an opening 82 in the arm rest and armrest frame for centering the arm rest and taking the stress on the armrest when used as a pull-to. When it is desired to retract the latchbolt, the arm rest is pivoted upwardly or in a counter-clockwisedirection, as viewed in Fig. 1, thus causing the spindle I8 and thelever arm 12 to rotate in a counter-clockwise direction which throughthe link 8 retracts the latch bolt 8. A lug 32 is struck out of spindlesupport plate It and serves as a stop for lever l2 after the latch bolthas been retracted from engagement with the striker. Upon release thearm rest rotates back to normal position by action of gravity or asuitable spring may be provided to returnthearmresttonormal. Thiclpringmay be mounted on the spindle I! in a fashion such as that of thecommonly used well-known coil spring mounted on the inside remote doorhandle spindle. The latch bolt 8 is projected by the usual latch boltspring.

In Fig. 6 there is shown a modified form of the combined arm rest andremote handle. The modified form differs from the principal form of theinvention only in that it is pivotally mounted adjacent its rear end asat 43. This pivotal mounting is the same as that above described exceptthat the lever l2 extends vertically upward from the spindle l8 ratherthan downwardly as in the principal form. The latch bolt 8 is providedwith an extension 44 which is pivotally connected to the link 8 as at45. The extension 44 permits the link 9 to operatively interconnect thelever l2 with the bolt 8 without conflicting with the window regulatormechanism, and particularly the spindle upon which the regulator crankhandle 6 is mounted. In this form of the invention the arm rest 42 isswung upwardly in a clockwise direction about its pivot 43 to retractthe latch bolt.

I claim:

1. In an automotive vehicle body, mechanism mounted within a wall of thebody and operable from the inner face of the body wall, and meansmounted on the inner face of the body wall operatively connected withsaid mechanism for operating the said mechanism and serving as an armrest.

2. In a vehicle body of the type having a seat for passengers andmechanism mounted within a wall of the body and operable from within thebody, means mounted on the inner face of the body wall adjacent the seatand operatively connected with said mechanism for operating the same andserving as an arm rest.

3. In an automotive vehicle body, mechanism mounted within a wall of thebody and operable from the inside of the body, and a combined handle andarm rest movably mounted on the irmer face of a wall of the body andoperatively connected with said mechanism for operating the same.

4. In an automotive vehicle body, mechanism mounted within a wall of thebody and operable from the inside of the body, and a combined arm restand handle pivotally mounted on the inner face of a wall of the body,and operative connections between the said mechanism and combined armrest and handle.

5. In an automotive vehicle body, mechanism carried by a door operablefrom'the inside of the body, and a combined arm rest and handle in theform of a member pivotally mounted adjacent one end on the door, andmeans operatively connecting the said member with the said mechanismwhereby the said member may be swung upwardly about its pivot to operatethe said mechanism.

6. In' an automotive vehicle. body, mechanism mounted within the dooroperable from the inside of the body, and a combined arm rest and handlein the form of a member pivotally mounted on the door, means operativelyconnecting the said member with the said mechanism whereby the saidmember may be swung upwardly about its pivot from a position where itserves as an arm rest to operate the said mechanism, and a stop for thesaid member for preventing downwardly swinging of the said member whenin position to serve as an arm rest.

7. In an automotive vehicle body, a door latch carried by a door, acombined arm rest and latch handle mounted on the inside of the body,and operative connectionsbetween the latch and the combined arm restand, handle whereby the latch may be operated by the' said combined armrest and handle.

8. In an automotive vehicle body having a door, a latch including aretractable bolt mounted on the said door, a'combined arm rest and latchhandle swingably mounted on the inside of the door and operativeconnections between the said member and the latch bolt whereby the saidbolt may be retracted by swinging the combined arm rest and handlemember.

9. In an automotive vehicle body having a door, a latch including aretractable bolt mounted on the said door, a combined arm rest and latchhandle member movably mounted upon the inside of the door, operativeconnections between the said member and the latch bolt, the saidcombined arm rest and latch handle member being responsive to anupwardly directed force to retract the latch bolt, and stop means forpreventing movement of the said member in response to a downwardlydirected force applied thereto when in position to serve as an arm rest.

10. In an automotive vehicle body having a door, a latch including aretractable bolt mounted on the said door, a combined arm rest and latchhandle member pivotally mounted upon the inside of the door, operativeconnections between the said member and the latch bolt, the saidcombined arm rest and latch handle member being responsive to anupwardly directed force to swing about its pivot and retract the latchbolt, and stop means for preventing swinging of the said member inresponse to a downwardly directed force applied thereto when in positionto serve as an arm rest.

11. In an automotive vehicle body having a door, a latch including aretractable bolt mounted on the said door, a spindle rotatably mountedon the said door, a lever arm fixed on the said spindle, a linkoperatively connected to the latch bolt and the said lever arm, and acombined arm rest and latch handle member fixed on the spindle withinthe vehicle body whereby the said member in one position serves as anarm rest and may be swung by an upwardly directed force from thisposition to retract the latch bolt.

12. In an automotive vehicle body having a door, a latch including aretractable bolt mounted on the said door, a spindle rotatably mountedon the said door, a lever arm fixed on the said spindle, a linkoperatively connected to the latch bolt and the said lever arm, acombined arm rest and latch handle member fixed on the spindle withinthe vehicle body whereby the said member in one position serves as anarm rest and may be swung by an upwardly directed force from thisposition to retract the latch bolt, and a stop for retaining the saidmember in position to serve as an arm rest-and for holding the saidmember in this position against a downwardly directed force such asoccurs when the member is used as an arm rest.

13. In an automotive vehicle having a swinging door, an arm rest mountedon the inner face of the door, having a hand grip portion whereby thearm rest is also adapted to serve as a pull-to handle.

14. In an automotive vehicle having a swinging door, a member havinga-recessed hand grip portion mounted on the door whereby the said memberserves both as anarm rest and pull-to handle 15. In an automotivevehicle having a swinging door, a combined arm rest and pull-to handlemounted on the inside face of the door in the form of a member having arecess in its inner face adjacent the door to serve as a hand grip.

16. In an automobile body construction, a door having a locking boltthereon, means for normally maintaining said bolt in locking position,and an arm rest mounted on the inside of said door and spaced inwardlyfrom the inner surface of the door, said am rest being normallyhorizontally disposed, operatively connected with said bolt androtatable about an axis transverse to the general plane of said door toretract the bolt from its normal locking position.

JOHN B. FLYNN.

